January is Thyroid Awareness Month when people are made aware of thyroid disease. Many of us have heard of thyroid disease but we don’t know what impact it puts on our health and how important role it plays for our health. American Thyroid Association (ATA) was founded with the objective of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of thyroid disorder and thyroid cancer. During the month, American Thyroid Association carries out campaigns to raise awareness among people. According to the Association 1 in 10 people are affected with thyroid dysfunction. Although anyone can be affected by thyroid dysfunction surprisingly, Women are more likely to have thyroid disease than men.

What is Thyroid

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the front of your neck. It is responsible for the body’s metabolism, temperature, vitality in the right order. The thyroid gland derives iodine from the food and changes it into thyroid hormones. It secrets T3 and T4 hormones that regularize the body’s metabolism.

Types of Thyroid disorder

Hyperthyroidism

It is a condition when Thyroid hormone is produced excessively. It is a less common thyroid disorder. The symptoms include nervousness, fast heart rate, weight loss, mood changes, tiredness, excessive sweating, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and heart palpitation. The causes of hyperthyroidism are Graves’ disease, excessive iodine consumption, and toxic multinodular goiter.

Treatment: If the condition is mild, anti-thyroid drugs can be given. For natural treatment, curtailment in goitrogens food intake, taking filtered water, avoiding gluten, and taking vitamin D3, Omega-3 fats, and probiotics can help treat this problem. Lifestyle changes are also recommended.

Hypothyroidism

It is a condition when the thyroid gland produces less amount of thyroid hormone. The symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, constipation, unexplained weight gain, depression, pale dry skin, and increased sensitivity to cold.

Treatment:

For treating this type of condition, a synthetic thyroid hormone pill is given every day and for natural treatment, change in lifestyle and vitamins intake is recommended.

Hashimoto’s disease

Known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, it is an autoimmune thyroid disease when the body attacks its cells. According to experts, the cause of this condition is bacteria, foreign body, or inadequate iodine intake. The symptoms are the same as hypothyroidism.

Goiter

A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It can be associated with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. 

Thyroiditis

The condition occurs with the inflammation or swelling of the thyroid gland and can present as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Postpartum thyroiditis occurs post-delivery in 5 to 10 percent of women. In this type, the symptoms go away within 12 to 18 months post-delivery.

Thyroid Cancer/ Nodules

Thyroid tumors or nodules are sloid lumps or fluid-filled lumps within the gland. Most of them are non-cancerous. Symptoms include persistent cough, neck pain, difficulty in swallowing or breathing.

How it is diagnosed: Most commonly, blood tests are done to measure TSH. If the doctor finds any enlargement in the gland, an ultrasound is performed. Thyroid scans with radioactive iodine are done to examine the function of thyroid nodules.